The present invention relates to a band finishing tool and, more particularly, to a tool for finishing a banding operation with a metal band by initially bending the tip of the free end of a band and then folding the free end back over the band buckle so that the free end of the band and the band buckle surface are nearly contiguous and that no sharp edges of the band or the buckle are exposed while maintaining a predetermined pressure on the band about an article.
The ability to bend the tip of the free end of a band and then fold it back over the band buckle by merely compressing the free end of the band into near proximity with the outer surface of the band buckle is a very desirable feature of a band finishing tool utilized in electrical conduit banding. No band finishing tool is presently known which incorporates these features.
Banding tools are well known and are used for a wide variety of banding operations. However, when utilizing a conventional banding tool, there is normally no need for a band finishing tool. These conventional banding tools usually consist of two rotary wheels with teeth operatively connected to arms operating in a scissors-like manner. Banding material is initially fed between the rotary wheels. The arms are alternately compressed and released while pulling the banding material into the tool until the banding material has been tightened around the article. At this point, a band buckle is placed over the overlapping portions of the band, and a crimping tool is applied to crimp the band buckle about the two overlapping portions of the band. After the band has been secured by the crimping buckle to complete the banding operation, the end of the band is severed in the vicinity of the buckle.
This type of banding method and banding tool cannot be utilized with bands having a band buckle as an integral portion of the band. With this type of band, such as those utilized in applications in aircraft electronic conduit backshells, it is important that a particular predetermined pressure range be accurately incorporated into the band about the backshell. Once this predetermined tension is automatically locked about the backshell, it then becomes necessary to retain this tension. Since the band already has an integral buckle, the conventional method of securing the band about the material by crimping a buckle over the overlapping sections is unavailable.
Accordingly, there is a need for a band finishing tool for use in conjunction with the banding tool and a band having an integral buckle which provides for first bending the tip of the free end of the band approximately 45.degree. and thereafter folding the free end of the band back over the integral buckle into near proximity with the buckle's outer surface in order to retain the predetermined pressure in the band about the backshell or article while eliminating the exposure of any sharp or jagged edges.